Life of Royalty
by Ms. Zeal
Summary: COMPLETE! Zidane adjusts to life in Alexandria's matriarchy. Apparently, some people just don't know how to be the king.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 1**

Zidane leaned against the rail, his tail flicking back and forth behind him. He stared moodily out at the scenery, not really looking at the city spread out before him. It had been six months since he had been reunited with Dagger. A smile softened his features as he remembered her expression when he had revealed his identity on the stage, acting out a part in the play that had brought them together the first time. A few months later, they had gotten married. It was a private affair with only their close friends in attendance. Zidane had been surprised that that was what Dagger had wanted. The honeymoon was wonderful, but afterwards reality set in. The day after, as a matter of fact, the classes began. Dagger had been raised this way, brought up to inherit the kingdom. Zidane didn't have to worry about actually ruling the nation - it was a matriarchy, after all - but he did have to learn how to look and act like a king at formal ceremonies and other occasions where his attendance would now be mandatory. Which brought him back to his current predicament: the ball being held tonight to celebrate Queen Garnet's marriage. A formal gathering which he, as the new king, had to be present for. The event had been announced six weeks ago and he had been in royal boot camp ever since. He held no illusions of what was in store for him.

He didn't turn around as the sound of footsteps drew near him from behind, the shoes lightly clicking against the tiled floors. "I thought I might find you here," a soft voice said. She was wearing a white dress reserved for formal occasions and a silver tiara. Her long dark hair fell in locks down her back, secured with a pale yellow clip near the tips. Her dark brown eyes held a hint of amusement as she watched the blonde leaning over the rail. "Edwin was quite distressed when you didn't show up for your refresher course this morning."

"I'll be he was," Zidane stated, a slight smile forming on his face. Giving the aged chamberlain a hard time was quickly becoming one of the blonde's favorite pastimes.

"He is just trying to help, Zidane," the Queen chided gently.

"Oh, come on, Dagger!" The blonde fully turned to face his wife. "I know which fork to use for the salad and which spoon for the soup, I can waltz in my sleep, I can name every queen back to the founding of this country, as well as the accomplishments during her rein. I can even quote the rules of etiquette forwards _and_ backwards-"

The brunette laid a restraining hand on his arm, smiling at him. "I know you are trying hard, and Edwin told me he was impressed with how fast you were learning everything."

"Then why do I still have to sit through these boring lectures from Eddie?"

Dagger chuckled softly. "Zidane, we have discussed this all before. Stalling will not get you out of attending the ball tonight," she stated. "You need to get dressed soon."

The King raised the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically. "If the Queen wishes it, then I must obey," he said teasingly. He smiled at her before making a face. "I still can't figure out where all those sashes and buckles go, though."

The brunette inclined her head. "I will send Steiner up to help you."

"Not Rusty!" he groaned.

"Would you prefer Edwin assist you?" she asked.

Zidane paused, weighing his options carefully. "There's no one else?" he asked suspiciously.

"No," she replied, smiling sweetly. "Everyone else is busy with the preparations for tonight."

He exaggerated a sigh. "If it's Eddie, he'll only lecture me some more. I guess I'd better go with Rusty."

Dagger nodded, turning to leave. "I will send him up to your room." She paused, chewing her lip uncertainly before turning back. "Zidane," she started, her serious tone drawing his attention. "You know how important this is to Alexandria- how important it is to me. Please-"

"Don't worry, Dagger, I promise I'll be on my best behavior tonight," he interrupted, grinning.

"It's not very reassuring when you say it like that," she remarked dryly. "It's just-" She shook her head. "Traditionally, the queen has married one of the nobles' sons. The fact that no one has heard of you or knows who you are has quite a few people upset. We cannot let anyone know who you really are, either. We should not have to mingle tonight, but..."

Zidane moved over to her, taking both her hands in his. "Don't worry about it. Tonight will go off without a hitch, you'll see," he assured her, holding her gaze with his own.

She nodded, unable to keep from smiling. "You make me feel as if the impossible is within my grasp- as though it would be all right even if everyone discovered that you were not only a resident of Lindblum, but a thief as well. How do you do that?" she asked.

He grinned cockily, wagging his finger at her. "That's a trade secret."

"Your Majesties!"

The royal couple turned as an older man quickly made his way towards them. The top of his head was bald, the white hair still remaining on the sides held back in a low ponytail at the nape of his neck. He bowed as he neared them, turning his attention to the King as soon as he had straightened up once more. "Sire, I have been looking everywhere for you!" he scolded lightly, his hazel eyes narrowed.

Zidane scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that, Eddie."

Edwin cringed. "Please, your Majesty, speak properly! It is unbefitting of a king to use slang and create these silly little nicknames! And do not scratch your head like that! Have you learned nothing?" the balding man asked exasperatedly.

"Oh, come off it, Eddie," the blonde replied, shrugging. "There's no one here to impress, anyway."

"That is entirely beside the point!" the chamberlain huffed. He noticed his lord's appearance for the first time, realizing the new King was not yet ready for the ball. "Why are you not yet dressed? Do you not know that the ball is only two hours away? Come, I shall assist you and we can go over everything you have learned while you dress."

At a pained and pleading look from her husband, Dagger decided to intercede. "That won't be necessary, Edwin," she stated, drawing the older man's attention. "You are undoubtedly quite busy overseeing the arrangements for tonight's celebration. Captain Steiner will assist the King. Would you please inform him?"

Edwin turned to the brunette, looking as if he wanted to say something but decided against it, bowing instead. "Yes, my Lady, right away," he said, leaving to fulfill the Queen's wishes.

Zidane looked at Dagger appraisingly. "I thought he was going to drag me to my room kicking and screaming, but he didn't even argue when you told him no. How do you do that?" he asked.

The brunette smiled. "That's a trade a secret," she replied, winking.

The blonde groaned. "I should've seen that one coming."

The Queen laughed softly. "I have done my part in making sure Edwin won't bother you again before the ball. Now, you have to go and get ready or you'll have double the classes with him tomorrow."

Zidane winced. "That's just a bit below the belt, doncha think?"

"Not at all, if it gets the desired results. I could simply order you to go, but I think this gives you more incentive not to be late."

"Tyrant."

Dagger smiled. "No one said it was easy to rule a kingdom. One must do what one must. Now go."

"Alright, alright, I'm going!" he said, holding his hands up in surrender. He darted forward, stealing a quick kiss before heading towards his room.

Dagger shook her head at his antics, still smiling. She turned away from the door, looking out over the city of Alexandria. Her face grew solemn as the sun sank lower towards the horizon. "Please, Zidane," she whispered, her soft words lost in the wind. "We have to make this work." Sighing, she turned and headed back inside.

. . .

Zidane looked mournfully at the clothes laid out on his bed. "I can't believe people actually think this looks good," he muttered, gingerly holding the silken fabric between two fingers. He let the garment fall back to the pile on the bed, flopping down beside it. "I've done a lot of things for the women in my life, but I think dressing up like a peacock to be gawked at by the nobles for a few hours takes the cake." He turned as the door to his room opened.

Steiner entered, looking disapprovingly at the clothes still sitting on the bed. "The Queen sent me to assist you," he stated, closing the door behind him.

"Yeah, I know. She asked me who I wanted to help."

The knight looked a little surprised. "And you chose me?" he asked, pulling a shirt from the pile.

"Don't get too excited." Zidane pushed himself off the bed, knowing that he couldn't put it off any longer. "It was a choice between you and Eddie, which really isn't a choice at all," he stated, unbuttoning his vest.

Steiner did not reply, patiently waiting for the blonde to remove his casual clothes before helping him into the finer garments. "I do not know why you insist on wearing that outfit," he commented, nodding to the discarded pile on the floor. "Although it pains me to say it, you were quite good at your previous profession, even if it was less than honorable. Surely, you could have afforded something better?"

"Hey, I like my clothes!" Zidane protested, his words a bit muffled as he pulled an undershirt over his head. "At least those are comfortable, unlike these."

"You must dress in a manner befitting your station," the older man said sternly.

"I know, I know. I'll dress and act the part whenever I need to, which is what I'm doing right now, in case you hadn't noticed. Sheesh! If I'd wanted a lecture, I would have had Eddie help me!" the teen complained, holding his arms out to the sides as Steiner adjusted the tunic.

The knight did not reply, the soft rustle of cloth the only sound in the room. He helped Zidane into the silken leggings, gently pulling his tail through the opening in the back. "Forgive me," he said at length, breaking the silence.

The King paused, his shirt half tucked in as he turned to look at the captain. "What? What are you going on about now?" he asked, confused.

"Edwin has been your teacher, instructing you in the ways of royalty, not I. He is far more knowledgeable and better suited to the task than I am." Steiner picked up the sash from the bed, laying it across Zidane's shoulder and tying it deftly at the opposite hip, letting the ends hang down. "I have been watching you these past months. I must admit, I didn't think you'd be able to pull it off. True, you had changed greatly from the carefree thief you were when I first met you, but to become a king? I didn't believe any amount of coaching would be able to hide your common upbringing." He retrieved the shoes, helping the blonde slide his feet in them before tying the laces. "But, you surprised me yet again. I couldn't believe how fast you were learning everything! History, etiquette, ceremonies- everything that the royalty and nobles learn from birth you mastered in a few short months!" He shook his head, holding up the surcoat as Zidane slid his arms into it. Steiner moved back to the front, fastening the chain to keep the cloak from falling off. He moved over to a table, opening an ornately carved wooden box. Resting on a satin pillow inside it was crown, the delicate bands of gold woven into an intricate design. The knight lifted the crown, moving to stand in front of the blonde once more. "And now, here you are, ready to be presented to the kingdom as her new king," he said, setting the circlet reverently upon Zidane's head. He stepped back, bowing his head as he kneeled. "It was not my place to correct your behavior."

Zidane stared down at the knight, one eyebrow raised. _Where did that come from?_ he wondered, not quite sure what to make of the knight's confession. He shrugged, dismissing it for the time being. Moving over to the full-length mirror on the wall, he studied his reflection. He wore a pale green vest with gold designs embroidered on it. His breeches were slightly darker, coming to his knees. Silken hose of the same color disappeared into his off white shoes. The sash and surcoat were both emerald green, the latter swaying slightly behind him as his tail twitched beneath it. A belt made of golden links of chain encircled his waist, matching the smaller chain keeping the surcoat on his shoulders. A few of the ruffles on his white undershirt were visible at the top of his vest's closure on his chest. _No wonder Baku always threatened to beat us if we laughed at him when he played King Leo in "I Want to be Your Canary,"_ he thought. "I look ridiculous."

"Nonsense!" Steiner stated, coming to stand behind him. "You look every bit of the royalty that you now are."

Zidane gave him a long sideways glance. "Anyway, we should probably head down there. Dagger would kill me if I was late," he said, moving towards the door. The clanking of armor told him that the knight was following."

. . .

The feast and first dance went quite smoothly, in Zidane's opinion. His presence and table manners were all that was really required for the meal. The dance, while potentially nerve-wracking due to it being only Dagger and himself on the floor while all the nobles watched, was nothing for one who had acted out several lead roles on stage in front of larger groups. It was a mere three hours after leaving his room that the new king found himself sitting on the throne beside his wife, listening as the various courtiers offered their congratulations to the Queen on her union. After about the twentieth noble giving essentially the same speech, Zidane decided he was bored out of his mind.

Knowing it wouldn't be acceptable for him to leave for another hour at least, the blonde cast about for something else to entertain him, while still seeming to be paying rapt attention to whichever noble was speaking at the time. It wasn't hard to do- the nobles only glanced at him when they were presented. Edwin introduced them as they bowed at the base of the stairs, naming each courtier for Zidane's benefit. Although he recognized the majority of the court on sight from his trips to Treno while he was still a member of Tantalus, the public story stated he was a 'foreigner' to Alexandria.

"The Lady D'Loncrae." Edwin's voice brought the King's attention back to the noblewoman straightening up after curtsying. His eyes widened slightly upon catching sight of her jewelry, although the pleasant smile on his face never wavered.

"The D'Loncrae's must be having some financial difficulties," he whispered without moving his lips, careful to keep his voice soft enough to only be heard by his wife next to him.

Dagger blinked, the only sign she had been startled by her husband's comment. "What makes you say that?" she asked, her voice just as soft as his as she also keep up the appearance of focusing completely on the noblewoman several steps below her.

"Just look at her jewelry- it's clearly paste," Zidane explained, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

The Queen blinked again, looking more closely at the necklace Lady D'Loncrae was wearing. She couldn't see anything that marked it as a fake. Quickly, her eyes darted down to her own adornments, wondering if any of them weren't quite as genuine as she thought.

The blonde caught the glance out of the corner of his eye, his pleasant smile widening slightly to border on a teasing grin. "Don't worry," he whispered. "Yours are all real. I already checked.

The brunette inclined her head ever-so-slightly to acknowledge his statement, her eyes glazing over as her mind wandered to when Zidane might have had time to check. She wasn't sure whether she should be irritated he'd gone through her jewelry or pleased he wanted to make sure she didn't wear anything that wasn't real. Her mind came back to the present as Lady D'Loncrae finished her speech. Dagger nodded more noticeably, accepting the noblewoman's congratulations and dismissing her with the same gesture. It wasn't more than a few seconds before the next courtier approached the throne.

"Lord Welingh'm," Edwin intoned.

"He has quite the mansion," Zidane whispered, happy to have found a way to relieve his boredom. "Three dining rooms- can you believe it? The last one used to have such a lovely chandelier in it, too..."

Dagger's smile tightened. "What do you mean, 'used to?' "

"Well, accidents do happen..." he hedged.

The Queen almost rolled her eyes. "I highly doubt any part of that was an 'accident' if _you_ were involved," she stated, her glaze never leaving the oblivious lord as he prattled on about this 'blessed occasion.'

"Actually, it was. Baku told Cinna he wanted the _Choundiar_ painting hanging on the wall, but Cinna thought he said 'chandelier,' so we took that instead. Needless to say, Baku wasn't too happy when we got back."

Dagger pursed her lips slightly, her shoulders barely trembling as she suppressed her mirth. She managed to reign in her laughter rather quickly, although her smile was a bit wider than before by the time Lord Welingh'm had finished his congratulatory speech. Upon noticing this, the lord bowed deeply again before taking his leave, throwing his cape behind his shoulder as he walked back towards the dance floor. There was a noticeable bounce in his step that hadn't been there previously, believing he had gained the Queen's favor with his carefully prepared speech.

The remainder of the evening was rather enjoyable for the royal couple. Zidane shared interesting tidbits about the nobles as they came up, testing Dagger's ability to keep a polite mask in place to conceal her thoughts more than once. The courtiers, for their part, remained oblivious to the quiet conversations held on the thrones. However, when fifteen minutes had passed without a courtier coming to offer their well-wishes, Dagger took Zidane's hand, indicating it was alright for them to take their leave. Meeting her dark gaze, he nodded, rising to his feet as she did the same. As they descended from the thrones, the throng of dancers stopped and moved aside, bowing as the royal couple walked passed. The music started again as soon as they left the room, the sounds of merriment being muffled by the thick oak doors.

"I think that went well. Don't you?" Zidane asked once he and his wife were alone and away from the party.

"I wasn't sure we could make it through the night without any problems," she admitted, turning into a corridor that lead to the gardens. She chuckled. "Especially with those tales you insisted on sharing."

"What can I say? You looked as bored as I was."

"I'll have you know that succumbing to gales of laughter while listening to the aristocrats congratulations on marriage is not very queen-like behavior."

"Then it's a good thing you didn't succumb, huh?" he said, guiding her along the stone paths to the edge of the lake separating the castle from the town.

"No thanks to you," she remarked, playfully slapping his arm.

"C'mon, you know you like having me around," he replied, snaking his arm around her waist and pulling her close.

The sound of footsteps approaching at a quick pace pre-empted Dagger's reply. Zidane groaned softly, releasing his wife and stepping back to see who was responsible for the interruption.

"Please forgive the intrusion, Your Majesties," the servant stated as soon as he had reached them, going down on one knee. "I have come to inform you that Regent Cid of Lindblum has just arrived at the castle."

"Uncle Cid is here? At this late hour?" Dagger asked, looking up at the stars overhead.

"I believe the Regent may have traveled in another one of his experimental airships My Lady," the servant said, still kneeling with his head bowed.

"Very well. Inform him that I shall be in momentarily."

"Yes, My Lady," he said, standing and hurrying back the way he had come.

"Cid sure has lousy timing," Zidane complained.

Dagger laughed. "Come now, Zidane. If he did indeed fly in his newest airship, it's a wonder he arrived at all." She began walking back towards the castle, stopping after a few feet when she realized her husband was not following her. "Will you be joining us?" she asked.

The blonde craned his head back, gazing up at the stars. "Nah, I think I'll stay out here for a bit longer. Give Cid my regards, will ya?"

Nodding, she turned and headed back along the path, disappearing through an archway.

Zidane stared at the stars for a few minutes more before he turned and began walking along the shore, skirting the edge of the castle grounds.

He walked along for several minutes, stopping when he came to the fountain in front of the main entrance. He leaned against the stone railing along the dock for the ferry between the castle and the town. A good portion of the town was still awake, the lights reflecting on the calm surface of the lake. He smiled at the sound of heeled shoes clicking against the flagstone, the skirt of a dress swishing as someone approached him from behind. "It seems too beautiful of a view to waste on one alone," he said.

"It is quite lovely," an unfamiliar feminine voice remarked.

Zidane jumped, spinning around when he realized it wasn't Dagger that had come to join him. His surprise must have shown on his face for the courtier sank into a low curtsy.

"Forgive me, Sire. I did not mean to startle you," she apologized.

"No, I-" The blonde paused to take a short breath, composing himself. "I mistook you for someone else."

"If it pleases My Lord, I can leave," she offered, turning back towards the castle.

"No, that isn't necessary," he assured her, looking out once more across the lake. "You may stay, if you wish."

"Thank you, Sire."

They stood in silence for a few moments, both pretending to admire the view while their thoughts ran in opposite directions. The noblewoman was pondering how to best approach the subject she wanted to discuss while Zidane tried to remember if he had been introduced to her earlier or not. He finally decided it was better to be safe than sorry and feign ignorance.

"Having seen so many new faces tonight, I'm afraid that I cannot seem to place a name to yours," he said.

"Duchess De Ghent," she supplied, curtsying again.

"Ah, yes," he replied, nodding. "With so many new names to learn, I fear I shall be asking this question far too often."

"Speaking of names," she started, turning to face him, "I know I've heard yours before, but I cannot remember where. Tell me, where do you hail from?"

_Ah, the court gossip. I was wondering when my interrogation would begin,_ he thought, careful to keep any trace of a smile off his face. "I doubt you've heard of it," he stated.

"How can you be sure? Geography was one of my favorite subjects."

_No need to lay it on so thick._ "I come from Terra, beyond the Shimmering Island." At her blank stare, he elaborated a bit more. "Near the northern most tip of the Forgotten Continent."

Her eyes widened considerably. "So far! Pray tell, what brought you to our fair kingdom? For, that is quite a distance to travel for a leisurely trip."

_And, more importantly, how did I manage to become Dagger's chosen husband, right? Well, if she wants a wants a juicy story to spread around the court..._ "I met Queen Garnet when she journeyed through my land several years back. Her mother, Queen Brahne, was still with us at the time. I could tell even then, dressed as a peasant and hiding under an alias that Queen Garnet was a remarkable woman. I fell in love the first time I laid my eyes on her," he said, allowing his features to soften as he stared across the lake, seemingly lost in a memory. He was actually watching her reaction to the story very carefully. She seemed a bit skeptical. _I guess not all woman are hopeless romantics,_ he thought.

"Forgive my presumptuousness, but if it was love at first sight, might I ask why it was years later before you appeared in this court?"

_Ah, so that's what the problem is. Well, that's easily fixed._ He allowed his expression to grow darker, secretly pleased as he heard her take a half step back. "My people don't take well to outsiders," he said bitterly. "It was all I could do to help her escape unscathed from Terra back then. The repercussions of my actions were what delayed my coming to Alexandria. As it is, coming here is tantamount to treason for me. I can never return to Terra again. I'm sure that they've stripped me of my lands and my title by now." Here, he allowed a bit of melancholy slip into his voice.

"And, what was your title?" she asked, her voice soft.

Zidane finally turned to look at her, as if just remembering she was there. "My title?" he repeated, shifting his gaze off to the side, as if pondering the matter. "I'm not entirely sure how it translates into your language- we don't have a monarchy in Terra -but I think the equivalent rank would be Crown Prince- or rather, Crown Princess, as this is a matriarchy." He smiled slightly as her eyes widened a bit more than they should have. The information that had been fed to the nobles of his background and status had been vague at best.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty."

_Saved by the courier. Oh, yes, Treno is going to be teeming with rumors about me by this time tomorrow,_ he thought, mentally allowing himself to grin a little evilly. Outwardly composed, he turned his attention to the servant.

"The Queen summons you."

"I will go to her straightaway. If you will excuse me, Duchess." He followed the courier back inside, not bothering to hide his pleased smile as he entered the castle.

Dagger was pacing restlessly inside the library when Zidane entered the room. The Queen stopped when she spotted him, turning and meeting him halfway. "I'm sorry, Zidane, I shouldn't have left you alone. The night was going so well, I should have known it couldn't last. I sent the courier as soon as I saw-" she began, talking quickly. Her face was a mixture of worry and apprehension.

"Whoa, slow down there," he interrupted, not following her line of thought. "What do you mean, you shouldn'ta left me alone? You don't trust me unsupervised on the castle grounds?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"It's not that," she replied, ignoring the taunt. "I was talking with Cid on the balcony when I noticed Duchess De Ghent alone with you by the fountain."

"Man, I haven't even been married for six months and I'm already accused of being unfaithful," Zidane said, shaking his head ruefully. "Couldn't I at least have had an affair with someone a bit closer to my age?"

"Zidane, this is serious!" Dagger scolded. "You may be dealing with the aristocrats now, but they can be just as vicious and ruthless as a group of bandits lying in wait on the highway side."

"Yeah, and I've never had much trouble with those, either."

The brunette sighed, sinking into a nearby chair and wishing her husband wasn't in such a playful mood. "You fail to recognize the severity of this situation. Whatever you told her will be known all over Treno by noon tomorrow. She could have all the nobles up in arms, figuratively speaking, depending on what you said."

The King grinned widely. "I'm counting on it."

"This isn't a game!" Dagger almost yelled. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to help calm herself. "What all did you tell her?" she asked, her voice resigned. For all his faults, Zidane was annoyingly pre-disposed to telling the truth. He could lie exceptionally well when the circumstances called for it, but otherwise he was almost brutally honest in everything he said.

"Oh, nothin' much- just a nice story about a prince giving up his kingdom to be with the one he loved."

The Queen opened her eyes, disbelief clouding her features. "What?"

"The busybody of the court wanted a juicy story to share, so I gave her one," he replied, shrugging. "Oh, there's bits of truth here and there, but I embellished it quite a bit."

The brunette stared at him, words failing her.

"What? You know you couldn't keep me away from the nobles forever and the question was bound to come up eventually. So, I thought of a nice cover story," he explained, still grinning.

"And she actually believed that fairy tale?"

"Hey, I made sure not to get too carried away," he defended, a mock expression of hurt crossing his face briefly. "Besides, like I said, there's a bit of truth throughout it."

"Such as?" the Queen prompted.

The ex-thief looked up at the ceiling as if in deep thought and began counting the number of truths off on his fingers. "Well, let's see. Terra is a land that's far away, they don't like outsiders, it was all I could do to get you out of there the first- and only -time you came, I can never return to Terra again because what I did is basically treason..." He let the sentence trail off, glancing back at his wife. "What can I say? I'm just the kind of guy to leave it all behind for the girl I love. And, I happen to know that the ladies love sappy stories like that. Trust me, she bought it. Hook, line and sinker."

Dagger allowed herself to relax slightly, gratefully realizing the situation was no where nearly as bad as she had feared. "And, what treasonous act did you commit?"

"Why, wanting to marry an outsider, of course," he stated, looking at her innocently.

"Hm, I seem to recall this being a tale about a prince," she remarked, her eyes dancing. Apparently, his playful mood was contagious. "Tell me, how did you get so far up in the hierarchy?"

"Actually, my official 'title' doesn't translate well into your language," he explained, mimicking Edwin's voice and favored stance when giving a lecture. "It is the closest equivalent rank. Garland was the 'man in charge' and I was designed to be his second in command. Logically, if something happened to him, I would have then stepped up and taken his position, assuming all the responsibilities and power that came with it." He relaxed, plopping down into the chair next to his wife. "Doesn't that sound like Crown Prince to you?" he asked.

The Queen laughed, feeling the tension and anxiety that had built up inside her wash away. "Yes, right down to you usurping his throne."

"Hey, that was Kuja, not me!" he replied indignantly. "Although, it was more of a 'usurp then destroy the throne'..."

"Yes, I'm rather surprised we were able to make it out at all."

"Yeah," Zidane agreed in a rare moment of seriousness, recalling the panicked flight from Terra as Kuja literally brought it down around their ears. He shook the memory off, the customary grin returning to his face. "So, can we officially say tonight was a success?"

"Yes, I think so," she agreed, nodding. "I'm not entirely sure how, but it was a success." She pushed herself to her feet, her husband mirroring her movements. "And, I think it would be wise not to push our luck any further tonight."

The King caught the hidden meaning in his wife's words, looking up to meet her eyes. "That roughly translates to 'bedtime,' right?"

"Yes, Zidane. Bedtime."

. . .

**To Be Continued**

Next chapter will be posted on Monday. If you would like a response to your review, please sign in or leave an email address written in long-hand. (e.i. kingdom underscore of underscore zeal at hotmail dot com)**  
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	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

**Chapter 2**

The tale of the new king's tragic past seemed to spread like wildfire. The story had been repeated many times behind closed doors, each re-telling a bit more exciting than the last. It wasn't limited to just the nobles, however. The entire city of Alexandria seemed to be teeming with the news.

A cloaked figure entered a tavern, his hood pulled low as he casually made his way past the usual customers and took a seat at the bar. No one paid him a second glance, used to travelers passing through. The bartender approached the newcomer, asking for his order.

"Just a coke," the stranger answered, his voice low. The bartender nodded, retrieving a clean glass as he poured the soda and set it before the cloaked man.

The hooded stranger picked up the glass with a gloved hand, taking a drink. "What's all the commotion about?" he asked, nodding to a couple groups caught up in a heated debate.

The bartender looked towards the tables. "They're arguin' 'bout the story that's been spreading around town today- you know, about the new king," he replied.

"Oh?" The stranger looked interested. "And what story is that?"

"Haven't you heard?" The barkeep looked surprised. "Everyone's been talkin' 'bout it all day..."

The stranger shook his head. "I just got into town."

"Well, a friend o' mine works at the inn where some o' the nobles are stayin'- they came up for that ball to celebrate the Queen's marriage, see -and he heard 'em talkin' 'bout it this morning," he began, polishing the bar with a rag. "It seems the King is from the Forgotten Continent- that's why nobody's heard o' him before."

"The Forgotten Continent?" the stranger repeated, sounding intrigued. "That is certainly a long way to travel."

The barkeep nodded. "Yeah, he was the Supreme Overlord of the entire continent. I guess he still would be, were it not for his brother."

"Brother?" the hooded figure asked, leaning forward.

"Yeah, he had a twin brother," the bartender explained. "Younger by about five minutes or so, and terribly jealous. See, all the power and everything went to the first-born son. Wasn't nothin' he could do about it, though- until the Queen visited the country."

"Queen Garnet?" the stranger asked.

"Yeah, it was a couple o' years ago, just before Queen Brahne was taken from us," he affirmed. "Queen Garnet had been sent to form an alliance with their country. She was to marry the Supreme Overlord to seal the arrangement. He agreed and they were married. His brother, however, used this opportunity to take control. See, the entire country was wary of outsiders on account o' not getting many due to the rock cliffs surrounding the entire continent."

"How did the Queen get there?" the stranger couldn't help but ask.

"On Regent Cid's steam-powered airship, o' course," the bartender answered. "It was the first one he made, after the Mist disappeared. Anyway, the King's brother turned the people against him while he was gone, presenting himself to Queen Brahne. He told them all sorts of lies 'bout Queen Garnet, leading the people to believe she had tricked the King and was really trying to take over their country. Once he had the people's support, he followed his brother to the north with his fleet. Our forces had been weakened by the war with Lindblum and Burmecia at the time, and he easily overpowered them. Queen Brahne was killed in that battle, and no one's quite sure how Queen Garnet managed to survive. The King, however, was taken prisoner by his brother and thrown in prison. All the guard's were sworn to secrecy though, because the King's brother told the people he had been betrayed and murdered by the Queen." His expression darkened, eyes narrowed as he glared at the wall. "I'd like to get me hands on that slimy git, blasphemin' the Queen like that," he muttered, his hands clenching tightly around the forgotten bar rag. He shook himself slightly, returning to his story. "Anyway, one of the King's old guards didn't believe the brother and managed to bribe the right people to find out the truth. He freed the King and tried to tell the people the truth, but they had been listening to the lies for too long. They said both the King and his guard were traitors and tried to kill them both."

"How'd they manage to escape?" the stranger asked, hanging on every word.

"Well, the guard was one o' the best warriors in the land. When the townspeople turned on them, he tried to hold them back while the King escaped. But, as skilled as he was, he couldn't last against the sheer numbers of the townsfolk and soon fell. The King was pursued to the very cliffs that surround the continent and jumped to the ocean far below. Through some miracle, he not only survived the fall, but also made it to Lindblum, although he was more dead than alive when he finally washed up on the shore. They nursed him back to health and when Regent Cid heard his story, he agreed to help him travel the rest of the way to Alexandria. I don't know whose idea it was for him to sneak into the play, though," he finished, shrugging.

The stranger whistled. "Wow. That's quite the tale," he said.

"It's true," the barkeep replied, wiping the wooden surface once more. "Ol' Charley overheard some o' the lords talkin' 'bout it this mornin'- the King himself was the one that told 'em."

The hooded man drained the last of his soda, setting the glass down as he stood. "Thanks for the drink," he said, dropping several coins on the counter. The bartender nodded, picking up the empty glass and coins before moving over to another patron calling for a refill.

The cloaked man left the tavern, adjusting his hood as he stepped back into the semi-crowded streets. He worked his way to the outskirts of the town near the waterfront, opting to travel around the lake on foot rather than use the ferry. He walked along the edge of the lake until water turned into stone as it met the mountainside. The stranger scaled the rocky wall with the ease of one long accustomed to overcoming such obstacles until he reached a narrow ledge forty to fifty feet above the ground. The ledge was about five or six inches wide and he clung to the wall as he crossed, sliding one foot in front of the other. After what seemed an eternity of painstakingly slow progress, he reached the other side of the lake and began climbing back down. He let himself drop the last few feet to the ground, landing in a crouched position. Straightening up, he turned around and gazed at the castle that loomed before him. Allowing himself a small smile at the lack of guards in this area, he quickly made his way to the 'back door' of the stone palace.

Sneaking inside, he made his way through the building, using all his stealth and quick reflexes to avoid being seen by the castle staff. There were several close calls, but he managed to make it to one of the royal bedrooms without detection. He smiled as he opened the door, the feeling of accomplishment only diminishing slightly when he realized he wasn't alone.

"Did you enjoy your trip into town?" a voice asked from his left.

Zidane's smile turned into a sheepish grin as he pulled off his cloak, tossing it on his bed. "Yeah, actually. I did," he stated, turning to face his wife.

The Queen was sitting in a chair, looking disapprovingly at the ex-thief. She stared at him for a moment or two, her gaze intense, before sighing. "Must you always take so many risks?" she asked, her voice resigned.

"Risks? What risks? Did you forget who you're talking to? I never get caught!"

"And what if you were recognized? Not all of the nobles have returned to Treno just yet," she countered.

"No one would recognize me." His voice was confident and self-assured, as if the very thought of someone identifying him was utterly ridiculous.

"Inflated egos aside," she began, crossing her arms, "just what makes you so sure of that?"

"Ack, the lady's tongue is just as sharp as ever," Zidane said, dramatically clutching his chest as he took a half step back. Seeing his wife was not really in the mood for games, he straightened back up and started counting off on his fingers. "There are several reasons, actually. One, I wear a cloak for a reason. No one could see my entire face, and it's just about impossible to recognize someone by his mouth without some distinguishing feature. Two, none of the nobles spared me more than a passing glance last night except for De Ghent, Belant, Duthey, and the Conbonets and I made sure to steer clear of them. Everyone else was too busy trying to impress you. And, no one in town has seen me since the play several months ago. Three, I didn't actually talk to any of the nobles. Four, you know how good I am at blending in when I want to, and escaping if necessary. Five-"

"Zidane," she cut in, "you need to understand that you are now the _King_ of Alexandria! You cannot simply do as you please!" She stood, moving over to stand directly in front of him. "You have responsibilities, an image to uphold-"

"As 'king,' I don't actually have any responsibilities- those all fall to you, or else no one in the kingdom would have agreed to this marriage," he pointed out, interrupting her. He tilted his head to the side. "And, as for my image, it won't be affected. I'll play the part perfectly in the court and at every ceremony or event that I have to attend as your royal husband. The rest of the time, I just won't get caught," he finished, grinning cockily as he winked.

Dagger sighed. "It only takes one time," she stated wearily.

"Yeah, I know," he agreed. "But have I ever let you down before? Besides, I made sure I was up for the challenge first. If I couldn't have snuck past everyone to get outta here, I wouldn't have gone."

She looked him straight in the eye. "So, you're saying, that if you get caught sneaking out, you'll stay here?" she clarified. She knew she couldn't change his nature, but having a set of rules to play by definitely helped level the playing field. And, if she could beat him in his own game, even better.

"Every time," he affirmed, meeting her gaze.

"I guess we shall just have to increase the castle security then," she stated, watching his reaction.

He shrugged. "Just as long as you don't post a guard inside my room, you can do whatever you want."

She nodded, a sly grin forming on her lips as she began thinking about new plans to help him obey the rules. "So, what did you go into town for, that you had to sneak out as a thief instead of going out as a king?" she asked.

"Besides being bored? I wanted to see how well my story was received."

Dagger blinked. "Zidane, you just said you didn't talk to the nobles," she reminded him, a slight edge to her voice. Husband or not, she didn't appreciate being lied to.

"I didn't. You seem to forget that servants have ears and gossip is a favored pastime," he explained. "I just hit a couple shops and a bar or two. The whole town is teeming with rumors."

The Queen was eager to know, despite her displeasure about how the knowledge was gained. "And...?" she prompted when he remained silent.

"And, I've heard it all. I've been everything from the Supreme Overlord of the entire Forgotten Continent to the fourteenth son of the High Chieftain of a hidden clan on the Outer Continent. I've single handedly faced down an army sent to retrieve me. I've been exiled. I've faked my own death. I've been imprisoned and tortured. I've even been smuggled out of the country by my betrothed, who realized it could never be because my heart belonged to someone else." He flopped down on the bed, grinning. "All we're missing is the dragon I had to defeat before I rescued you from the tower, but I imagine that one'll pop up some time tomorrow."

"So...it didn't work, then," Dagger said slowly, her heart sinking.

Zidane raised an eyebrow. "Whaddya mean?"

"The stories," she said, waving her arm vaguely. "There are so many variations. That means that your story wasn't believed, leading to idle speculation which will then escalate until the nobles demand an explanation and possibly proof to back it up." She had begun pacing back and forth across the room, her mind going over this new turn of events. "We do not have long, a few weeks at best..."

The blonde watched his wife pace for a few seconds before tossing back his head and laughing. She stopped mid-stride, shooting him a very disproving look. "And, exactly _what_, may I ask, do you find so funny about this situation?"

"Oh, Dagger," he said, still chuckling. "You really don't know how rumors work, do you?"

She blinked. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"The rumors are exactly what we want them to be."

"How so? The story is completely different..."

He shook his head. "No, it's basically the same story with a lot more embellishment here and there. I had to leave my country and can't go back. The how is really the only thing that has changed, and that's just to make the story more exciting," he explained. "If no one believed it, then there would be rumors flying around of me trying to usurp the throne or tricking you into thinking I was someone else, something along those lines. But, while I did hear a lot of variations of my story, I was never depicted as the villain in a single one."

The Queen was silent as she turned this over in her mind. "So, these are the types of rumors we want? Ones that don't have any common elements in the original story?" she asked after a pause, still sounding a bit skeptical.

Zidane grinned, pulling her down to sit on the bed next to him. "Trust me," he said, looking into her eyes. "These are _exactly_ the kind of rumors we want. Just relax, I know what I'm doing." He paused, his expression becoming solemn. "I know how important this is, Dagger. I'm not going to mess it up," he said, his voice serious. "Just...try to have a little more faith in me, okay?"

"I do trust you, Zidane. I just..." the brunette sighed, shaking her head. "I simply cannot tell if you are truly taking this seriously when you have that roguish grin on your face." She shifted, leaning her head on his shoulder. "These last few weeks have been rather stressful on everyone, I suppose. Last night went better than I had dared hope and I just can't help but feel that it's not over yet, that there is still time for it to all be ruined. But, I feel I owe you an apology. You were prepared for Duchess De Ghent last night and did take precautions before venturing out into the town today. I'm sorry I doubted you." She smiled as she felt his arm wrap around her waist, silently reassuring her.

They sat in silence for a moment or two before Zidane shifted slightly to look at her. "So, is that your way of telling me you trust me to do as I please?" he asked.

She returned his gaze, an impish gleam appearing in her eye. "I'm still going to increase the castle guard."

He nodded, seriously. "Yes, that's probably a good idea. I wouldn't want my skills to get rusty- after all, you never know when they might come in handy," he agreed, winking.

"Zidane!" she reprimanded, playfully slapping his arm.

He grinned unrepentantly.

. . .

**To Be Continued**

The next chapter will be posted on Monday. If you would like a response to your review, please sign in or leave an email address written out in long hand. (e.i. kingdom underscore of underscore zeal at hotmail dot com)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The buzz about the new king gradually faded as the days wore on, being replaced by the usual court gossip. The nobles turned their attention to the newer, juicier stories and life at the castle returned to normal. Dagger dealt with all the affairs of state and Zidane had more free time than he had ever dreamt possible.

Although the thought of being able to lounge about all day long without any repercussions sounded appealing, the young king found that the novelty wore off rather quickly. The inactivity of the first few days urged him to escape the castle walls, so he turned his attention to the city. Having spent most of his life in Lindblum, he wasn't as familiar with most of Alexandria city as he should be. The next couple weeks were spent exploring the town, both with and without his royal escort. It wasn't long before he knew the city like the back of his hand and he found himself with ample free time on his hands once more.

Dagger had suggested a hunting trip and Zidane readily agreed. He had always enjoyed pitting his skill against the beasts of the forest and looked forward doing so once again. Unfortunately, how the king hunts is vastly different from how a commoner does, as Zidane found out. Dogs negated the necessity (and challenge) of finding and reading tracks, and the royal huntsmen did all the actual work of taking down the beast. If the blonde complained enough, they would let him deliver the 'final blow' (to put the beast out of it's misery after the 'killing blow' was made), but anything beyond that was 'far too dangerous' (the king was half-waiting for them to confiscate his chocobo, to reduce the risk of him falling off and breaking his royal neck). Although the trip was supposed to last a week, Zidane decided to skip out early and slipped out in the middle of the night after the second day. He had returned to the castle at the end of the week to find it in an uproar. Although Dagger was relatively sure nothing had happened to him, Steiner had always been a bit on the excitable side. The lecture he had given the king left Zidane partially deaf for the rest of the day.

At present, the young king was sitting in his study, one leg slung over the arm of the chair as he stared moodily at the wall. He tossed a ball, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, so high it almost touched the ceiling before falling. His hand darted out, seemingly of its own accord, and snatched the ball out of the air, only to toss it up again, his eyes never leaving the wall. He didn't look up when there was a knock on the door followed by someone entering the room.

"Her Majesty asked me to inform you that she will be unable to join you for lunch today," Edwin stated, bowing. He raised an eyebrow at the blonde's undignified position, but refrained from commenting on it. "Is something troubling Your Majesty?" he asked instead, noting the almost sulking expression on the king's face.

"I'm bored."

Edwin blinked. "Surely Your Majesty can find something around the castle to occupy your time."

"You mean like hosting a tea party or working on my embroidery? Sorry, but that's just not for me."

"There is plenty of material to read, if Your Majesty was so inclined," Edwin said, looking pointedly at the books lining the shelves behind the blonde.

"No thanks. I have found most of the books here to be rather dry reading. Besides, I'm tired of being cooped up in here."

"I understand there is a new production at the theater in town."

"Ruby's choice in plays as of late leaves something to be desired."

"What about organizing another hunting expedition?"

Zidane snorted. "You saw how well the last one turned out. Steiner might actually have an aneurism this time."

"If Your Majesty could be persuaded to actually stay _with_ the group..."

Zidane gave him a look that clearly indicated that wasn't happening.

"What about hosting a tournament of some sort? A contest in archery or close combat with some sort of prize for the winner?"

"That could be fun." Zidane caught his ball, turning his gaze on the chamberlain. "But, I'll bet that I'm not allowed to participate, right?"

Edwin looked shocked. "Your Majesty! It would be far too dangerous to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Zidane interrupted, looking back at the wall as he tossed the ball up in the air again.

Edwin was silent for a moment, sensing the king's obvious displeasure. "Your Majesty enjoys riding. What about going for a ride in the country?"

"That's about all I _can_ do these days," Zidane muttered. "Thank you, Edwin. That will be all," he said dismissively, closing his eyes. His ears twitched slightly, his hand deftly catching the ball once more.

Edwin sighed, but bowed and quietly left the room.

** . . . **

That afternoon found Zidane in the royal stables, brushing down Choco. The stablemaster was distractedly tending to an injured chocobo in a stall at the far end of the barn, casting nervous glances towards the blonde. Although the king had always insisted on taking care of his own bird, the stablemaster couldn't help but feel uneasy every time the monarch did the servants' work.

"There you go, boy," Zidane said, running the extra wide-tooth comb through the large feathers. He brushed off bits of straw from the nest and ran his hand over the smooth feathers, making sure they all lay flat against each other. Once he was done, he patted the bird's flank and retrieved the bridle from its hook just outside the stall. "Are you ready for our usual ride?" he asked, fitting the straps over the bird's beak and head.

Choco warbled happily, prancing in place before nudging Zidane towards to door of the stall with his head.

"Alright, I got it!" The blonde took the reins, leading the bird out of the stall. "I don't know what you're so excited about- it's not like you're ever locked in, anyway. You can leave whenever you want."

The chocobo crooned again, softly butting his head against Zidane's.

"Don't tell me you don't like to ride alone?" Zidane shook his head, chuckling. "Whatever the reason, I'm glad you're still excited to go. After the last couple months, I'd think you'd be tired of just running around on the plains. I know I am. But, it's still better than not being able to go anywhere at all, I guess," he said, hopping onto Choco bareback. The bird had never cared much for saddles and Zidane saw no reason to force the issue. As he exited the stables, he noticed two men dressed in armor were waiting for him astride chocobos of their own. _Right on time,_ the blonde noted sourly. _Collin Gedgrave, my own personal Pluto Knight babysitter for the week, and his trainee, Private Keith Malahide. Can't let the king go anywhere without an escort, after all. I need to figure out how to get Choco to meet me outside the city, so we can go for a _ real_ ride..._

"Your Majesty," the knight greeted as they both bowed.

Zidane inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement before turning and leading the way towards the ferry dock between the castle and the town. The boat was returning from the other side, so they waited at the edge of the lake. Zidane glanced down, studying his reflection on the still water. He wore a white, ruffled tunic that was covered by a red jacket with gold embroidery down the front and on the cuffs. His soft brown breeches were tucked into his leather riding boots and his tail was wrapped around his waist, looking like a furry belt. His delicate crown rested on his forehead, proudly proclaiming his status to all who saw it. He couldn't help the sardonic smile that marred his features at the sight. Since a man leaving the castle on a chocobo with an escort would seem a bit suspicious, he had no choice but to dress as the king. However, it didn't make him feel any less like he was walking around with a big target on his back. The ripples banished the picture as the boat pulled up to the dock.

** . . . **

The sky was overcast, the gray clouds just dark enough to hint at the possibility of a light rain. A warm, gentle breeze played with the tall grass, sending undulating waves from the edge of the cliffs to the base of the mountains. Three chocobos cut through the green sea, moving at an easy lope across the plains.

Zidane raised his head, studying the clouds with a practiced eye. _We should be back to the castle before it starts raining,_ he thought, turning his attention back to the grassland ahead of him. _Even with how slow those two ride._ A quick glance over his shoulder showed that his guards were starting to fall behind again. A mischievous glint shown in his eyes as he clicked his tongue. Choco reacted without breaking stride, leaning forward until the blonde was almost sitting on the bird's neck. Golden wings were opened and held almost parallel to the ground, angling upward slightly in the back. Zidane tightly gripped the bird's body with his legs, expertly moving with his mount to keep from falling off. The change in position brought with it a burst of speed, almost doubling how fast the chocobo had been running previously. His lips curved into a grin as the wind whipped through his hair, drowning out the protests of his escort as he left them far behind.

Zidane held that pace for several minutes before slowing down to a walk. Twisting around, he grinned wider at how much distance he had put between himself and his guards. "I don't know if the chocobos can't do it, or if Keith and Gedgrave are afraid to try," he said, rubbing Choco's neck, "but no one ever can keep up with you when you sprint."

Choco warbled happily, his chest heaving under the blonde's legs.

"No, we'll walk for a bit," Zidane said, pulling back slightly on the reins as the bird started to speed up. "Give them a chance to catch-up. If you're still feeling frisky, perhaps we'll give them another run for their money on the way back."

They hadn't been walking very long when Zidane caught movement from the corner of his eye, reflexively ducking as a rock flew past his head. "What the..." he trailed off, looking around to find who had thrown it. The white tip of a tail poked up in the grass and Zidane chuckled. "Oh, I see," he said, pulling Choco to a halt and sliding down off his back. "It looks like a mu has come out to play." He pulled his daggers from their sheaths, holding one out in front of him and the other to the side as the tail disappeared again.

The wind blowing the tall grass made it difficult to tell where the mu might be hiding, so he carefully circled around where he had last seen it, senses on high alert. He heard the other chocobos running up behind him, but dismissed them as unimportant. The mu's furry head popped up off to his right and he turned, quickly ducking another rock. Sensing another attack from behind, he spun around, bringing up his dagger to a defensive position.

There was a blur of yellow before he was crushed under a jumble of clanking metal plates, punctuated by a scream. Zidane froze for an instant as that voice- that _human_ voice -cried out in pain, realizing almost immediately that his blade was the cause. He didn't move as he landed on the ground, quickly cataloguing his entire body in relation to the body on top of him. He concluded the dagger in his left hand had caused the wound and he carefully rolled the armored man over on the opposite side, flinching reflexively when the movement tore another cry of pain from Keith. "Easy, now," Zidane said soothingly, trying to maneuver out from underneath the wounded man. "Try to take deeps breaths- that's it." He managed to get free, quickly locating the dagger. The blade had slipped through the gaps in the armor underneath Keith's upper right arm and had sunk deeply into the flesh. Zidane released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, shoulders slumping slightly in relief. He had been afraid that he had accidentally delivered a fatal wound.

"Please stand back, Your Majesty!" Gedgrave said, his icy tones conveying more than his words. He swiftly knelt on Keith's other side, wiping his bloodied sword on the grass before sheathing it and began pulling the pieces of armor off the younger man's arm. "I need to see how badly wounded he is!"

Zidane moved back, careful not to step on the dead mu as he gave Gedgrave room to work. He chewed on his lip, guilt gnawing at his innards as he went over what had happened. _That yellow blur before he hit me- he must have tackled me from his chocobo's back! Why did he jump on me, especially from behind? He knows I carry daggers and I was obviously ready to use them! What in the world was he thinking? Didn't he SEE the mu? He should know better than to do something like that without at least yelling a warning! What did he THINK I was going to do? And why on Gaia was he trying to tackle me?_ he wondered, his tail angrily swishing back and forth. He paused as an unpleasant thought occurred to him, the hated words _'far too dangerous'_ echoing in his mind. _Of course. I should have known! I'm not allowed to do anything even **remotely** dangerous! What made me think they would just stand back and let me fight a monster? The mu threw a rock and Keith was trying to shield me with his own body!_ He closed his eyes as guilt wrenched his insides. _I should have known he'd do something like that! This is all my fault!_

"Your Majesty, please bring me my pack! The wound is deep and I need to stop the bleeding!" Gedgrave said urgently, putting pressure on the wound as Keith writhed underneath him.

Zidane quickly fetched the pack without a word, staying out of the way as he tried to deal with the emotions surging through him. He was seething internally, although he couldn't say with whom he was angrier; Keith for doing his 'job' or himself for being so careless. Either way, the guilt wrapped around it was enough to almost make him physically ill.

Movement caught his attention and he noticed Keith's chocobo still running some distance away, apparently not caring that its rider was no longer in the saddle. Not wanting to stand around idly with only his thoughts for company, Zidane walked over to Choco and climbed up on his back, turning him away from the knight and his apprentice on the ground.

"Please wait for us, Your Majesty! As you _must_ have noticed, it can be dangerous out here!" Gedgrave said, his tone bordering on accusatory.

Zidane stiffened, bristling slightly at the implication. Only his guilt kept him from giving the knight a biting retort. "I am simply going to retrieve his chocobo. We need to return to the castle as soon as possible," he replied without turning around, his voice emotionless.

There was a pause. "Be careful, then," Gedgrave said at length. "It would be better for all involved to not have anymore 'accidents' this trip."

Zidane didn't reply, kicking Choco into a gallop. It didn't take him more than a few minutes to catch the chocobo and he held its reins as he led it back to where his guards were sitting on the ground.

Keith was sitting up, his face white as Gedgrave tightly wrapped his arm. He gasped, squeezing his eyes shut as the knight yanked on the bandage, making sure it was taut before tying off the ends.

Gedgrave glanced up as the chocobos stopped a few feet away. "Make sure you keep pressure on that," he instructed, pushing himself to his feet. He picked up the dagger that had caused the wound, carefully wiping it off before handing it back to the King.

Zidane accepted the blade, slipping it back in its sheath as Gedgrave took the reins from him. "Can he ride?" the blonde asked.

"I'll lead his chocobo," Gedgrave replied. He gathered up the pieces of Keith's armguards, distributing them among the saddlebags. Then he pulled Keith to his feet and helped him climb onto the giant bird. He led the chocobo over to where his own mount was grazing and pulled himself into the saddle. "After you, Sire," he said, motioning for the blonde to lead the way.

Zidane inclined his head, turning his mount and leading the way to Alexandria. He kept the pace slow, noting the way Keith was tightly clutching his arm to his chest so as to not jar it anymore than necessary. It turned out that his prediction did not hold true, the first drops of rain falling on their heads as they approached the city. Still leading the group, Zidane turned from the main gates before they drew too close, heading instead to the edge of the lake some distance from the town. Gedgrave cleared his throat in a rather irritated fashion as the King dismounted.

"Might we not see to Malahide's injury _first_ , my liege?" the Pluto Knight asked rather pointedly.

"That's what I'm doing, Gedgrave. Let me help you down, Keith."

"Um, I'm afraid I don't understand, Sire. Why have we stopped here? The ferry is in the middle of the town," Keith said, looking distinctly uncomfortable as the King helped him dismount.

"It'll be faster this way. Besides, I don't want to deal with all the rumors that are bound to crop up all over the place if we ride into town with one of you injured," Zidane stated, gesturing at Keith's arm. "Choco will take you across the lake."

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but chocobo's can't swim," Gedgrave informed him.

"Thank you, Gedgrave, but I am well aware of the limitations of regular chocobos, thanks in no small part to these daily outings," Zidane replied, bitingly. He gave the command and Choco sat, allowing Keith to climb on his back more easily. "Just hold on with your legs. As long as you don't flail about, he'll do his best to make sure you don't fall."

"Your Majesty, I must protest! Malahide is in no condition to swim-" Gedgrave began.

Zidane silenced him with a look before turning back to his chocobo. "Go back to the stables," he instructed. "I'll be there soon."

Choco warked, rubbing his cheek against Zidane's before turning and stepping into the water. Gedgrave had already dismounted and was un-strapping his sword, trying to remove the heavier items from his person before he had to jump in and save his trainee. He already had his breastplate half-off when he realized the chocobo was actually treading water. Keith looked just as surprised as his commander as the large bird bore him swiftly across the lake.

"We'll circle around and enter through the front gates," Zidane said, climbing onto Keith's mount. "The townsfolk aren't likely to notice that I'm only returning with one guard when I left with two."

Gedgrave shook himself out of his stupor, quickly replacing his armor and sword before clambering back into the saddle. "Yes, Your Majesty," he replied, still not quite able to take his eyes off the swimming bird.

Zidane would have laughed at the knight's expression had his mood not been so foul. As it was, he just shook his head, wheeling his mount and heading for the city gates.

It took them about half an hour to circle around and approach the castle via the town. They rode calmly through the streets, not wanting to arouse suspicion by seeming to be in a hurry. The townsfolk moved out of their way, bowing respectfully as the King rode past before going back whatever they had been doing. As Zidane said, no one seemed to notice he was missing a guard.

It didn't take long for them to reach the stables. Choco warked as Zidane led his chocobo past, the stablemaster hurrying out of the stall. "Sire! You're not injured, are you? Malahide said you weren't but I was worried when he returned alone, riding your personal chocobo-" he exclaimed, bowing as he took the reins.

"Calm down, Nigel. I'm fine," Zidane reassured him, sliding off the bird's back. "I sent Keith ahead because he needed medical attention, and Choco could get him here the fastest. I assume he's with the healers?"

"Yes, Sire. He was looking a bit green around the gills, so I had one of my boys take him down there."

"Thank you," Zidane said, turning his chocobo over to the stable master. He looked in on Choco, noting the bird had already been brushed down. He turned back, addressing Gedgrave. "I'm heading down to the training rooms. I don't suppose you'd like to spar a few rounds with me?"

"I took a vow that I would never raise my blade against you, Your Majesty," the knight replied.

Zidane recognized the cop-out for what it was, but didn't press the issue. "I assume you are going to check on Keith, then?"

"Malahide is my responsibility. I will wait with him until we know how extensive the damage is."

"Very well. Let me know what healers say."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Zidane left the stables and headed down to the training rooms, silently fuming the whole way. _I have to get out of here. I'm starting to get sloppy from lack of practice, as evidenced by today. But, no one will let me get the practice I need! I can't fight monsters and no one is willing to spar with the King!_ He snarled softly, irritated by that fact almost more than he was willing to admit. _Perhaps I'll leave tomorrow, during my ride. Head due west, leaving whoever's guarding me at the foot of the mountains. I'll have to circle around the edge of the continent to actually _ get_ anywhere, but they'd be liable to follow me straight over the cliff if I headed east right away. They'll be furious of course, but I'll talk to Dagger tonight._ He rounded the corner to the training room, seeing Steiner talking to one of the knights in the hallway. _Steiner will have a fit when he finds out, too,_ he thought, smiling grimly. He blinked as something else occurred to him. _Steiner will spar with me! I don't know why I haven't asked him before!_

The knight excused himself as Zidane approached, leaving the captain alone with the king. "Your Majesty," Steiner greeted, bowing slightly.

"Are you busy?" Zidane asked bluntly.

Steiner blinked. "There is nothing so pressing that it cannot wait," he answered, his tone curious.

"Good. I need a sparring partner."

The captain raised an eyebrow but followed the king into the training room. "Will we be using the practice swords?" he asked, moving over to the wall.

"No. I'll use my daggers against your broadsword. Things will be more interesting that way, wouldn't you agree?"

"Your Majesty seems to be in an ill humor today," the knight noted, smiling slightly.

Zidane shrugged. "I've had a bad day." He drew his daggers, falling in ready stance. "Are we gonna do this or what?"

Steiner shrugged, unsheathing his sword. "Ready when you are, Sire."

** . . . **

Gedgrave walked down the stone corridors, head bent in thought. _Malahide was lucky,_ he thought, distractedly nodding to a maid going the opposite direction. _If that blade had gone any deeper, he might have lost use of his right arm permanently! But, the King _ has_ to have his daggers. The nobles, the royalty- they're all the same. They insist on being armed even though they don't know which end of the blade to use. And who ends up always getting hurt? The guards, that's who!_ He shook his head, grinding his teeth together. _Malahide wouldn't even _ be_ in this mess if _ His Majesty_ would let us do our job! What was the fool thinking, challenging a monster like that! A mu may not look like much, but that doesn't mean it's harmless!__ His recklessness is going to get someone _ killed_ one of these days!_ He stopped in front of the training room, taking a deep breath and wiping all traces of his thoughts from his face. Once his mask was in place, he opened the door and stepped inside.

Steel rang sharply against steel as two men danced around each other in deadly combat. The Pluto Knight was surprised to recognize Captain Steiner, sweat rolling down his cheeks and his breath coming in harsh gasps as he tested his skills. Even more shocking still was when Gedgrave realized that the _King_ was his opponent. Zidane was also panting, although his features were lit with a feral grin as he raised his dagger and darted once more towards the Captain of the Knights of Pluto.

Gedgrave couldn't help but stare in open-mouthed wonder as the scrawny little royal-pain-in-his-behind held his own against the best swordsman in the Knights of Pluto. And, the Captain didn't seem to be going easy on the monarch, either.

Zidane's strategy seemed to be based on speed, making quick slashes before dancing back out of reach and darting forward from another angle. Steiner seemed intimately familiar with the fighting style, as he was able to parry or block most of the blows. Anticipating the blonde's next move, Steiner swung the broadsword down from over his head, holding it tightly in a two-handed grip. Zidane didn't have time to dodge, quickly raising his crossed daggers and catching the large blade between them.

Steiner pushed down with all his might and Zidane's arms trembled as he fought to hold his own. He knew he couldn't beat the knight in a contest of strength. His eyes darted around as his mind raced to find a way out. An idea struck him and he brought his tail between his legs, looping the long appendage around the captain's armored knee. Clenching his teeth as his blades started slipping, he yanked his tail back with all his might.

Steiner faltered as his knee was pulled out from underneath him, allowing Zidane to throw off his sword and lay one of his daggers against the knight's throat.

"My win, again," the blonde said, grinning cheekily.

Steiner blinked, glancing down as his mind processed what had just happened. "You- you cheated!" he declared, pointing at the furry tail swinging back and forth innocently. "This was supposed to be an honorable match! You can't use your _tail!_"

"Why not? It's just like using your foot to kick someone. It's not _my_ fault you were born tail-less," Zidane shrugged, turning to address Gedgrave.

The captain pinned the tail between his foot and the floor as Zidane turned, throwing his armored shoulder into the blonde's side. The king went down with a startled yelp and Steiner quickly stepped forward, rested the tip of his sword on the floor next to the monarch's cheek.

"What happened to an 'honorable fight?' " Zidane asked wryly.

"Everyone knows that the match is not over until the loser declares defeat. Besides, you cheated first," Steiner replied haughtily. His face had taken on a smug expression as he started down at his opponent. "It seems that I have the advantage now."

"Funny thing about advantages," Zidane began, bringing up his knee hard into the back of Steiner's legs. The captain toppled with an undignified squawk as the blonde twisted around and again held his blade to the knight's throat. "They're just so hard to keep," he finished, grinning once more. "Do you yield?"

"It seems I have no choice," Steiner replied, dropping his sword. "This match is yours."

Zidane sheathed his daggers, helping Steiner to his feet. "That was the best work-out I've had in a good long while," he said, stretching as he turned towards the door expectantly. "What can I do for you, Gedgrave?"

Gedgrave blinked, as if coming out of a stupor. "Oh, um, Your Majesty asked that I report what the healers said..."

Zidane nodded. "How's Keith?" he asked

"The healers say he should make a full recovery."

"I'm relieved to hear that."

Steiner looked back and forth between the two, confusion playing about his features. "Keith? Private Malahide? Is there something I should know about?" he asked.

Gedgrave opened his mouth to answer, but Zidane beat him to it. "There was an accident when we went riding earlier today," the blonde explained. "It was my fault, I'm afraid. I should have anticipated how he'd react."

Steiner nodded. "Well, I'm glad he's going to be alright," he said. "I suppose there's no need to tell you to be more careful, though."

Zidane looked away, obviously still troubled by the incident.

Gedgrave stared at the blonde with an indiscernible expression. Witnessing this match changed a few of his preconceptions about the King and he needed some time alone with his thoughts to work through them. He excused himself and quietly left the room.

Zidane stared after him, idly wondering which bothered the knight more- the fact that the King knew how to fight or the easy banter between him and the Captain of the Knights of Pluto. He shrugged, dismissing it as unimportant and stretched again. "Man, I can't tell you how much I needed that," he said. "We're gonna have to do this again sometime soon."

"Unfortunately, I'm going to be gone for the next several weeks," Steiner informed him. "We leave tonight."

"Gone? Where?"

"Field training." At Zidane's blank look, Steiner elaborated. "As you know, I've spent the last several years earning back the respect that the Knights of Pluto had lost over time. Thinking back, we really were a sorry lot," he said, shaking his head. "But that is no longer the case. Through intensive training, I've whipped them into an elite force to be reckoned with, one worthy to serve as body guards to the royal family." Pride filled his voice as he remembered when the Queen had asked him to fill that position with his knights. "However, our new popularity has caused recruits to come flocking in. Before, there were always enough knights to take on the new recruits as apprentices, like what Gedgrave and Malahide are doing. But, now we have too many young men that want to join the knighthood and not enough knights to train them. So, I'm going to try training a group of them at the same time. And, I think it'll be easier out on the plains where we will have monsters to supplement the usual training sessions. Give them more hands-on experience."

"Sounds fun."

"Sounds like a lot of work. Not everyone is knight material, you know. Before I could keep them on as a permanent apprentice, but now... I think I'm going to have to organize another group entirely. A sort of infantry to supplement the army, I suppose." He shook his head. "In any case, I really should be going. It's getting late and I still have a lot to do before we head out tonight. By your leave," Steiner said, bowing as he excused himself and exited the room.

Zidane watched him go, cocking his head to the side pensively. "Field training, huh?"

** . . . **

Steiner awoke as the sun rose, the first rays of dawn peeking through the tent flap. He pushed himself up off his cot, yawning widely as he dressed for the day. It had taken a little longer than he had anticipated to get camp set up last night and everyone got to bed late. He wasn't looking forward to a day of dealing with surly men, but he wasn't about to start the training by bending the rules. He had just started shaving when a commotion just outside his tent caught his attention.

"Captain Steiner! Captain Steiner! We found an intruder, sir!" a young, enthusiastic voice called.

"Yeah, we captured him all by ourselves!" a second voice piped up.

"Private Ward! Private Phillips! What is all this about?" Steiner recognized the voice of one of his lieutenants, Derek Corbett.

"Lieutenant Corbett, sir! We found this suspicious character skulking around the perimeter, sir!" Ward explained fervently.

"Well, he wasn't really skulking- walking, more like," Phillips piped up.

"Yeah, but he was doin' it in a _real_ suspicious way!" Ward exclaimed.

"Suspicious how?" Corbett droned, clearly unimpressed thus far.

"Well, he came running up to us on this chocobo-"

"-and just started talking to us, like he's known us for years-"

"-saying that he'd been looking all over for us all morning-"

"-and demanded we take him to our leader!"

"He didn't say that, Ward."

"Close enough," Ward defended. "He said he wanted to talk to Captain Steiner right away." The private lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "We figure he might be an assassin!"

"Because assassins always waltz right into camp and ask to speak to the Captain," Corbett replied dryly.

"Exactly! That's the last thing anyone would expect! See, Phillips? I _told_ you he'd believe us!"

Steiner heard Corbett groan. "You were reading those spy novels while on guard duty, weren't you?"

"Spy novels? Uh... well... um, you see..."

"Teenagers," Corbett muttered. "I _told_ you to leave those at home! This isn't some fairytale with spies lurking around every corner! Kitchen duty for both of you for the first two weeks!"

"But, sir-"

"Are you talking back to me, soldier?"

"No sir," was the meek reply.

"Good. Now, get back to your post."

"Yes, sir," they answered in unison. Steiner heard them walk away as he rinsed the last of the shaving cream off his face.

Corbett sighed. "I apologize for the rude reception, traveler. As you can see, the men have a lot to learn."

"Oh, that's alright," a very familiar voice said cheerfully, causing the captain to jump in surprise. "It was actually kind of fun."

Steiner quickly dried his face, exiting the tent and almost running into Corbett. He ignored the startled apology from the lieutenant, focusing instead of the grinning blonde standing behind him. The captain worked his jaw a few times before his voice decided to kick in. "Your Ma-" he began.

"Hi, Rusty!" Zidane chirped cheerfully, cutting the older man off. "I need to talk to you. Can we go somewhere private?"

Dumbfounded, the captain held open his tent for the king, absently dismissing the lieutenant before following the blonde inside. "What are you doing here?" he blurted.

"Oh, I was bored at the castle, so I thought I'd come and give you a hand. Good thing, too, you look like you're gonna have your work cut out for you if the rest of the men are like those two." Zidane whistled. "They're hilarious to listen, but hardly what I would call 'knight material.' They've got their heads too far up in the clouds." He folded his arms, as if pondering something. "I wouldn't mind getting my hand on some of those books, though. They've got to be interesting if they can do _that_ to a couple of impressionable kids..."

"You thought you'd _come and give me a hand?_ You can't just _leave_ like that! People will be looking for you! The castle will be in an uproar! The Queen-"

"Ah, you worry too much. I talked to Dagger before I left. She's cool with it," Zidane said dismissively. He plopped down on Steiner's cot, leaning back on his arms. "She actually thought it would be a good idea for me to get out. Said I've been moody as of late. Can you believe that? Me, moody?" Although his tone was insulted, his mocking smile suggested otherwise.

Steiner just gaped at him. "But- It's just- This is something that just isn't done!" he said almost plaintively. "The _King_ is not supposed to-"

"Look," Zidane interrupted patiently. "Dagger has already signed off on this, you _know_ I'll be a great asset to you and I wasn't kidding- you are going to need all the help you can get with this lot. Besides," he added, cocking his head to the side, "Dagger's overdue for a bit of peace and quiet around the castle. You don't want to ruin this for her, do you?" he asked, playing the card that was sure to crumble the knight's defenses.

Steiner's eyes widened. _I didn't even think about that! The Queen must desperately need a break and has entrusted me to keep Zidane out of trouble! But, couldn't she have picked a better time for this? Field training isn't- it just isn't proper for a king to participate in!_ He shook his head. _But, then again, Zidane seems to take great pleasure in proving that he isn't an ordinary king..._ He sighed heavily. "I suppose I don't really have a choice, do I?"

The blonde raised an eyebrow at Steiner's obvious confliction, careful to keep the grin off his face. _I suppose I should feel bad about playing him like a harp,_ he mused. "I could just order you to let me help," he offered. "If it'll make you feel better about the whole thing."

"No, I won't make you beg. I would be grateful for any assistance you can give me."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Zidane protested, sitting up straight. "I said _order_, not _beg._ I don't beg for anything!"

"Really? It sounded a lot like Your Majesty was pleading to stay to me," Steiner remarked.

"Then you need to get your hearing checked out. You're lucky I decided to come give you a hand!" The blonde leaned back into a more relaxed position once more, his tail curling around his leg. "Although, I do have some ground rules."

Steiner bristled at that. "Now, just a minute! This is _my_ training camp! You can't come in here and-"

"Chill out, Rusty, don't get your chain mail all kinked up," Zidane said, waving off the knights protests. "I really only have one thing you have to do and that is to keep my identity a secret."

"What? You mean, call you by a different name? That's absurd! No one here even knows you!"

"Exactly. You don't have to called me by a different name- Zidane is fine -but you can't go around saying 'Your Majesty this' or 'Sire that,' alright? I don't want anyone to know I'm the King until we get back to the castle."

"But, why?" Steiner asked, confused.

"These guys are as green as they come. They're going to have a hard enough time improving their skills _without_ having to worry about possibly injuring the King," Zidane explained.

"Yes, that does make sense," Steiner said at length, folding his arms pensively. After a moment, he nodded decisively. "Very well, I see no harm in it. I shall forthwith refer to you only by your given name until we return to the castle."

"Alright, glad we got that settled. Now, let's go train us some knights!" he said, enthusiastically exiting the tent.

Steiner stared after him, shaking his head. "What have I gotten myself into now?" he wondered, following the blonde. The next several weeks promised to be anything but boring.

** . . . **

**The End**

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